Rose Wars
by Ash Kaiba
Summary: Before he was a general of the York army, Seto Rosenkreuz was a young farm boy, with a little sister. One day, though, everything changed. [DUELISTS OF THE ROSES story]
1. A Dragon's Loss

**Rose Wars**

By Ash Kaiba and Katie Mae

**DISCLAIMER:** We do not own any of the Yu-Gi-Oh! characters or _Yu-Gi-Oh: Duelists of the Roses_ video game for PS 2. We do own the original characters: Katharine, Ashlyn, and any other character you don't recognize.

Ash Kaiba: Hey, remember us? Instead of working on two separate sides, we are alternating chapters. Who wants to go back in time? To…15th-century England, perhaps?

_It is 1483; the War of the Roses began 28 years ago. The York's, led by Lord Pegasus Crawford, supported the ascension of Richard the Third to the throne. Their adversaries, the Lancastrians, fought for Henry Tudor (also known as Yugi). Yugi and his followers were forced to leave England and live in a life of exile._

**Chapter 1: A Dragon's Loss**

"Seto!"

Hazel eyes gazed at the sky through the branches. White creamy hands hid in brown hair. Tan breeches and tunic draped off his body into the grass. Strong lungs allowed air to flow in and out of his body.

"Seto!" The feminine voice called again.

A growl escaped his lips. He forced his body up to a sitting position. A girl in a light brown dress ran up the hill. Herwhite hair shined in the sun. The same eye color glittered at the sight of him.

"Seto Rosenkreuz, why didn't you answer?"

"I thought you were my mother. Pardon me, Charlotte."

Charlotte smiled in forgiveness. Then, she grabbed his hand. "Come on."

Seto rose to his feet and chased after her. Long grass flowed as their legs pumped. Seto lost track of where they were and slowed his pace. Charlotte heard his feet fall quieter than doing running. She turned around.

"Seto?"

Her friend didn't answer.

"Seto, what is it?"

"I don't like this place. Let's go."

A roar sounded in the air above them. Seto felt fear creep into his mind. He grabbed her hand and broke into a run. A shadow materialized on them. The roar echoed again, louder than before. Fear silenced their lips as animal instincts took control of their bodies. Yet, Seto felt her hand slip out of his. Something pushed him down and pulled him airborne.

"Charlotte? Charlotte!"

The girl weakly looked up.

_Thank goodness, she's alive._ He praised.

Seto struggled to get a view of the monster. All he noticed was silver-white talons wrapped around his stomach. His mouth curled into a growl, teeth bared. His adrenaline fired his arms.

"Let go of us, you beast!"

The beast tightened its grip. Air barely reached his lungs. The shine in his hazel eyes dimmed. Then, his world dimmed into black.

"Charlotte?"

He opened his eyes. His friend didn't appear. Seto looked around. Stalagmites and stalactites surrounded him. He shifted to a crouch, creeping around the bases. Something wet covered his fingertips. Seto pulled them up closer to his face. It felt warm and smelled of death. His forest eyes peeked around the rock. Charlotte stared at him. Blood streamed out of her stomach. His blood boiled as his heart pumped faster. His muscles tightened. The legs launched his body. Skidding pebbles alerted the monster. It threw him back down.

"Charlotte?"

Something cool flowed into his mouth. Seto drank, slowly waking up. His body curled up against the mass. Sleep crawled in his mind, consuming him. A new sensation pulsed through his veins. Not really caring, Seto fell back asleep.

_**At Rosenkreuz…**_

"Katharine, did you see Seto or Charlotte while you were out?"

"No, Mama," the black-haired girl answered as she walked in the house. She'd just come from the barn, where she'd herded the sheep after spending all day with them in the fields surrounding Rosenkreuz. "Why?"

"Neither of them has been seen since this morning. Oh, Charles, where is that boy?"

The brunette looked up. His hazel eyes glowed in fury.

"He's obviously not here. I'm going to talk with Charlotte's parents," he said, his voice calm despite the blaze in his eyes.

As he opened the wooden door, a crowd appeared in the torchlight. A bearded brunette stood in front of them.

"Charles," he addressed, holding a pitchfork.

"Wallace?"

"It is obvious that since Charlotte is not home, neither is your son."

"Seto has not come home this night."

"We believe that a monster lurks by the valley."

"Any proof?"

"Our children," was his response.

Charles turned to his wife.

"Stay here. I'll go find him. Keep Katharine inside."

Charles retrieved his pitchfork and sword. The woman and children watched the men leave.

_**In the cave…**_

"Rosenkreuz…Seto Rosenkreuz…"

"Charlotte? I thought…" he looked up at the source. "Aah!"

"Drink."

_This monster is talking to me!_ He panicked and started inching away. The monster crept closer.

"Stay away from me! Stay back!"

"Drink," it repeated in a motherly tone.

"You have water?"

"Milk."

"Milk?"

"Thou wilst like it." It answered, trying hard not to laugh at him out of amusement. **(1)**

Seto's mind flashed back to the moment he woke up a second time.

"Dragon's milk? I can't have that! It's poison!"

The dragon turned its head away from and growled, "Humans are full of lies."

While it remained in that position, Seto attempted to creep out of its death trap. Using what his father taught him for hunting, he crept slowly. His body avoided the loose rock and any other thing that would alert the dragon of his leaving presence. _Ploop…_ He froze. His eyes frantically searched for it, but the rock blocked his view. Something nipped the back of his tunic and hoisted him into the air. Hot air messed with his hair. Seto flung his body around. For once, he could clearly see the dragon's face. Sapphire eyes scolded him. It set him down. Again, Seto tried to reach the exit. But, the dragon threw itself in his way.

"Go." It ordered, Seto refusing.

It lowered its head and nudged him backwards. Seto stumbled on loose rock. His body landed on his rear. The dragon swayed back and forth, blocking all possible exits. _It's herding me_, he realized as he rose to his feet. _It is the shepherd. And I am the sheep._

The dragon took a step forward. "Thou are not ready."

"Not ready? My family is out there! I'm ready! Just let me go!"

"Silence!"

Seto opened his mouth to complain, but no sound come out. The dragon's head impacted his body again, turning him to face the right direction. His body gave in. He allowed it to coral him back into the cave. He found a spot away from it and sat down. The dragon approached him. Its sapphire eyes rebuked his behavior. It knocked him down with its right front paw. Seto grunted as he watched the dragon position its body on something. Once it was settled, it directed its attention to him.

"I am merely providing thee with a place to stay. Yet, thou have no thanks."

"What is there to thank?" He softly growled, his voice still mostly hushed. "You killed Charlotte! You're a monster! It will only take time for you to kill me next!"

It sighed.

"River, thou givest life to me. Oh River, I owe thee so. As life continues on, please remember my song. For everything goes to you. Oh River, thou providest nourishment. A home for small prey. As the circle continues, thou startest it all. So River, please remember my song."

Seto sat, frozen in place. His eyes clouded over.

"Now, come and drink my child. Then, rest. Thou wilt need it."

A sense of obedience filled him. A part of him actually felt that he was a part of 'her.' Seto crawled back to it as 'she' cleared a spot for him in her nest. He noticed the gold and jewels that it had hoarded to the cave. His body moved carefully, trying hard to disturb her neatly arranged treasures. He crawled into the spot, surprised that the dragon had also hoarded cloth as well. 'She' nudged him. His parched throat gave more reason to his thirst. Thus, it allowed him to forget what he was drinking. As his stomach filled, his eyelids slowly began to flutter. A smooth tongue cleaned him…as if he was one of her kin. He vaguely noticed his injuries; scrapes were the only thing that stood out in his mind. He could feel his voice returning to him.

"Sleep, little one."

"I'm sixteen. I'm not…zzz…"

_**Outside…**_

"Seto! Charlotte!"

Charles scanned the area. They had followed a trail of broken grass. Wallace aimed the torchlight where Charles looked. The children's names were called over and over.

"Seto," Charles called, praying that his son will answer.

_**Rosenkreuz house…**_

"Seto…"

Katharine Rosenkreuz sat by the window, staring out into the dark. The brown eyes waited…to see her brother's hazel eyes.

_**At the cave…**_

The dragon lifted her head. The sound of humans reached her small ear holes. Their scent alerted her nose. They came for him. The sapphire eyes glanced down to the sleeping body.

"Seto Rosenkreuz?"

"Mother, Father," he whispered.

She lowered her head and licked the side of his face. "Sleep; thine father is coming."

The boy fell into a deeper slumber.

"It is a shame that the girl gave me her life to provide thee this milk. She loves thee…very much."

She licked him one more time. Then, carefully uncoiled her body to prevent waking him. Her time to leave had come. Drained of magic, she approached the mouth of the cave.

_**Outside…**_

"There it is," Wallace whispered.

A silvery-white dragon with blue eyes stepped into the moonlight. Charles's blood boiled. The monster killed their children. His fury spread among the villagers. They charged up to it, their pitchforks held high. The dragon swiped them with its front paws. Charles drew his sword. He swung it and hit the beast in its weak spot. Its body immediately fell limp and crashed into the ground. The Rosenkreuz stood, staring angrily at it. Then, the fatherly role caught up with him.

"Seto! Charlotte!" Wallace charged in. Charles immediately followed. Torchlight glittered off of the gems and gold that filled their view.

"Charlotte!"

Her body didn't move. Wallace picked her up and held her close. Tears rushed down his face.

"Charles…on the gold…"

He directed his attention. A sixteen year-old breathed slowly, still fast asleep.

"Seto? Seto!"

Charles ran to his son and embraced him. Seto groaned as he roused from his sleep.

"Father…Charlotte…" Then, he fell back into unconsciousness.

Charles cast aside his pitchfork and lifted his son off the treasure. He positioned him as a bride being carried by the groom. Charles led the men away. His friend carried the dead body of his daughter. They progressed in silence. Only the torches dared to make noise.

_**Rosenkreuz house…**_

"Katharine, go to bed."

"Yes, mama."

Mary shifted her gaze back outside. In her room, Katharine prepared for bed. The brown eyes glanced at the other bed, _Seto…_She prayed as she pulled back the blanket. The girl sighed and returned to her own. She climbed in and nestled under the blanket. Her ears focused on her mother. The door swung open.

"Charles," her mother cried, "did you find him?"

"Hush," was all her father said.

Her door creaked open as her parents walked in. She jumped out of bed.

"Seto!"

Her father allowed her to see his sleeping face. It appeared calm and unharmed. A sigh of relief escaped her lips. She kissed his forehead.

"Good night, big brother."

Ash Kaiba: Hope you liked it. Katie Mae will provide Katharine's point of view in Chapter 2.

The dragon speaks in Old English. Think Shakespeare if it helps.


	2. The Druid

**Rose Wars**

By Ash Kaiba and Katie Mae

**DISCLAIMER:** We do not own any of the Yu-Gi-Oh! characters or _Yu-Gi-Oh: Duelists of the Roses_ video game for PS 2. We do own the original characters: Katharine, Ashlyn, and any other character you don't recognize.

Katie Mae: This chapter is going to start out as a recap of Chapter 1 from Katharine's point of view, so some of the dialogue will be the same as in Chapter 1. Then it'll continue on with new events. That's pretty much how this story is going to work from now on, since we have two different characters to focus on.

Ash Kaiba: Yup! Please endure this. Our writing styles are...well, different.

**Chapter 2: The Druid**

_**That morning…**_

Katharine Rosenkreuz awakened before dawn, as she did every morning that the grass was green. She was in charge of caring for her family's flock of sheep, which meant getting them out to pasture and watching them all day. Her face and hands were a light brown color, despite her mother's insistence that she wear a hat or bonnet. Katharine hated hats almost as much as she hated bonnets—she liked to feel the wind tousle her hair and the summer sun warm on her face.

Once she had dressed and gotten breakfast, which consisted of a small loaf of bread, an apple and a chunk of cheese, she walked out to the barn and herded the sheep out to the pastures behind the house. Katharine walked up a nearby hill and turned toward the east, sitting down on the soft, dewy grass to watch the sun rise.

Not long after the sun was completely up, a young boy came trudging up the hill. His light brown eyes and dark hair shined in the sun as he walked up to Katharine and sat down next to her. "Good morning, Katharine," he said.

"Good morning, Tommy," Katharine said to the boy in a bored voice.

"Whatcha doing?"

"I'm watching the sheep, Tommy."

"Oh." The six year old sat for a few minutes, surveying the sheep alongside Katharine. She sighed mentally as she watched him squirm in his seat. Tommy always seemed to pop up when he was least wanted—like when Katharine wanted to be alone with her thoughts. At fourteen, Katharine had started contemplating marriage, and was taking the time she had with the sheep to compare the boys of the village that were of marriageable age.

"Listen, Tommy, do you want to do me a favor?" Katharine asked.

"Sure!"

"All right. Go to my house and ask my mother if she'll give you some bread, cheese and bacon. Make sure you tell her I sent you. When she gives it to you, bring it back to me, all right?"

"Okay! I'll be right back." Tommy jumped to his feet and scampered off toward Katharine's house. She smiled; Tommy would be gone a while. Whenever Katharine wanted to be rid of Tommy, she would send him on an errand to her home, because she knew her mother would keep him occupied doing odd jobs around the inn for her while she "got Katharine's lunch ready." That way, the young boy would be out of Katharine's hair and helping Mary with the inn while Charles was busy with the farming.

Thinking about the inn reminded Katharine that the faires would be starting soon. Whenever traveling faires would move through the area, the Rosenkreuz's inn, the Rose and Briar, was packed with people from neighboring farms and villages who came for the sights and to barter for trinkets and baubles. The people who ran the faires were like gypsies, traveling from one town to the next throughout the summer months and living in the same village every winter. This year, Katharine and Seto would be attending a faire in a nearby town, going by themselves for the first time. They were going to stay for three days at the town's inn, since the innkeeper was a good friend of their father.

Katharine sighed and leaned back, closing her eyes to block the sunlight. She placed her hands behind her head and relaxed, listening to the low sounds of the contented sheep.

**_Later that day…_**

At sundown, Katharine gathered the herd and returned home, getting the sheep situated in the barn for the night. As she entered the house, her mother looked at her with a worried expression on her young, smooth face.

"Katharine, did you see Seto or Charlotte while you were out?" Mary asked.

"No, Mama," Katharine replied. "Why?"

"Neither of them has been seen since this morning. Oh, Charles, where is that boy?" Mary bit her lip.

Charles looked up, his hazel eyes glowing with anger and worry.

"He's obviously not here. I'm going to talk with Charlotte's parents," he said, his voice calm despite the blaze in his eyes. Katharine quickly hurried out of the room to wash up for dinner.  
As she approached the door to the main room, she heard her father say, "Stay here. I'll go find him. Keep Katharine inside." Peeking through a crack between the door and wall, she saw her father leave with his sword and pitchfork, following behind Wallace and several other men. She walked into the room and over to her mother.

"Where's Papa going?" Katharine asked.

"To the valley. Wallace thinks that there's a monster there, and that's why Seto hasn't come home yet." Mary's hands rested against her stomach.

"So what are we supposed to do?"

"Wait, and pray." Mary walked over to the table and uncovered a bowl of stew. "Eat your dinner."

"Yes, Mama." Katharine sat down and quickly ate the stew, sopping up every last drop with a crust of bread. She returned to the main room and sat next to the window, watching and waiting to see her brother's hazel eyes. "Seto…"

After what seemed like hours, Mary walked over to the window and peered outside. "Katharine, go to bed," she said suddenly.

"Yes, Mama." Katharine hurried into her and Seto's room and changed into her nightdress. She looked over at Seto's bed. _Seto…_. She said her prayers as she turned down the blankets on her brother's bed. She then crawled under the covers of her own bed and curled into a ball, waiting for them to warm from her body heat. She tuned her ears to listen for any conversation from the main room. After a few moments, she heard the door open.

"Charles!" Mary cried. "Did you find him?"

"Hush," was all her father said.

The door to Katharine and Seto's room creaked open as Charles walked in, carrying something in his arms. Mary followed closely behind. As Charles approached Seto's bed, a stream of moonlight illuminated brown hair. Katharine jumped out of bed to see that her father was carrying an unconscious Seto in his arms. "Seto?" Katharine asked worriedly. Charles allowed Katharine to see Seto's sleeping face. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she saw that he was unharmed and sleeping calmly. She kissed him on the forehead. "Good night, big brother." She returned to her own bed and, calmed by the fact that Seto was safe, quickly fell asleep.

_**The next morning…**_

Katharine awakened early once again, yawning. She was still tired from staying up late the night before. She walked over and placed a kiss on Seto's forehead before straightening his sheets in a motherly fashion. Then she changed into her shift and light green dress, and tied up her hair with a pink ribbon.

Katharine walked into the main room and picked up some bread and cheese, along with a handful of wild berries that she assumed Tommy had picked the day before at the request of her mother. She munched on the berries as she put on her heavy boots. Finally, she put on her apron and put the bread and cheese in one of the pockets. She slipped out the back door and over to the barn, where the sheep "baaaa"-ed a greeting.

"Good morning, everyone!" Katharine said to the sheep. "Today is a great day. Do you know why?"

"Baaaaaaa."

"Seto returned safely last night! I was so happy that he wasn't harmed by the monster in the valley." With a smile, she herded the small flock of sheep toward the barn door before opening it to let the sheep out. She gently pushed them toward the pastures; today, she decided, she would take them near the hill with the big stones. Thankfully, Tommy was afraid of the stones, as were most people in the village. But Seto and Katharine had explored them a few summers ago, and found nothing of interest there. It was just a bunch of weird looking stones.

_**At Stonehenge…**_

A young looking woman with long auburn hair and a dark blue dress and silver mantle sat in the center of the rock formation, chanting softly with her eyes closed. Before her, a wooden chalice filled with a silvery liquid glowed faintly with an iridescent purple light. _I must find someone to pass my magic on to, _the woman thought to herself. Suddenly, she opened her eyes a crack, revealing brilliant violet irises. The glowing stopped. _Someone is coming…_ After a moment, she sighed with relief. _It's just a girl. A shepherdess, from the village down the hill. She will be perfect._ The woman started chanting again, and the chalice glowed once more.

Katharine trudged up the hill, looking back every so often to check on the sheep, who were grazing peacefully on the hillside. She smiled as she noticed that one of the lambs was frolicking about, causing its mother grief as she tried to herd it closer to the rest of the flock.

"What's your name?" Katharine jumped as she heard a voice behind her. She turned around to see a beautiful woman with long red hairand purple eyes, wearing a long, flowing blue gown with a silver cloak. Katharine bowed. _She must be a noble lady, to wear such a dress,_ she thought.

"Please, rise. I am not worth such attention," the woman replied. "Now, what is your name?"

"Katharine Rosenkreuz, if it pleases you, madam," Katharine said, coming out of the bow but still keeping her eyes lowered.

"Rosenkreuz…you wouldn't happen to be the sister of Seto Rosenkreuz, would you?" _This meeting may be more fortuitous than I thought._

Katharine looked up suddenly. "Yes, I am! How do you know Seto?"

"A good friend of mine knows him. Please, come and sit with me a spell. You look tired."

Katharine shook her head, but had to stifle a yawn. "Well, maybe a little. I was up late last night."

"And why is that?"

"My brother was being held by a monster in the valley, and I stayed up until my father brought him home."

The woman frowned slightly. "I see. You care for your brother very much, don't you?"

"Yes, I do. He's my best friend. There aren't any other girls my age that aren't married, and I don't like to spend time with the boys. They look at me strangely and make me feel uncomfortable."

The woman smiled. "I can see why they would look at you, Miss Katharine. You are a very pretty girl. You are of marrying age, are you not?"

Katharine nodded, blushing faintly at the praise. "Pardon me, but may I ask your name?"

"You may ask, but that does not mean I will divulge that particular bit of information. Besides, my name is not important."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Katharine said, lowering her head again.

The woman reached out and lifted Katharine's chin. "Do not worry, Miss Katharine. We all have our secrets; it is no shame to keep my name to myself. Now, I have a question for you: would you like me to tell you a bit of your future?"

"Oh, yes please!" Katharine replied, suddenly feeling a bit of guilty pleasure at the prospect of having this woman use witchery on her. "Will I go on any adventures?"

"Well, we can find out." The woman scooted closer to Katharine and took her hand. "Now, let me see…" The woman slowly stroked her hand with two fingers, following the creases of her hand. "This is your lifeline; see how it stretches all the way down your hand? You will life a long life."

Katharine smiled. "Well, that's good to know."

She continued, "And this is your love line. I see an epic romance in your life: you will find your soul's mate, the man whom you are destined for. Your spirit has been intertwined with him for ages, and you will continue to be with him for infinite generations."

"Wow…" Katharine was astonished. "I'm destined to be with someone?"

The woman nodded. "The rest of your future is… difficult to read."

Katharine's face fell. "Oh…"

"Do not worry, Miss Katharine. Your life will be an adventure; of that I am sure. Now, would you care to join me in a drink?" For the first time, Katharine noticed the intricately carved wooden chalice sitting near her. It was decorated with designs in blue and red, but Katharine didn't recognize them.

"What is it?" Katharine asked, trying to look inside.

"It is just milk. Are you thirsty?"

"Yes, ma'am." She took the chalice and started to drink. It was sweet and clear, leaving her deeply satisfied. As soon as she lowered the chalice from her lips, she started to feel dizzy and clutched her head, dropping the cup.

"Lay down, Miss Katharine, the dizziness will soon pass," the woman told her. She obeyed without thinking, laying her head against her arm. A moment later, she was unconscious.

"Baaaaaaa…Baaaaaaa…" Katharine blearily opened her eyes, wondering what the noise was. She found that one of the lambs was licking her face.

"Eugh, gross!" Katharine said, wiping her face with her sleeve as she sat up. She was still a little dizzy, but upon standing, found that she felt fine. "Whatever that was, it wasn't _just_ milk," she muttered, walking over to a nearby pond. She filled her hands with water and rubbed her face, washing off the sheep slobber. She looked at her reflection in the still water of the pond—and screamed.

Katie Mae: Ooooh, a cliffhanger! Find out what happens next in Chapter 3 of "Rose Wars"!

Ash Kaiba: By me! Review! I shall relay the information.


	3. Broken Heart

**Rose Wars**

By Ash Kaiba and Katie Mae

**DISCLAIMER:** We do not own any of the Yu-Gi-Oh! characters or _Yu-Gi-Oh: Duelists of the Roses_ video game for PS 2. We do own the original characters: Katharine, Ashlyn, and any other character you don't recognize.

Ash Kaiba: Hey, I wrote chapter three! Finally! Katie Mae, do you have anything to say? (Even though this is my chapter.) Oh, yeah. Charlotte actually has white hair (kinda like Kisara.)

Katie Mae: Well, all I have to say is I hope everyone enjoys this chapter, and be on the lookout for Chapter 4! Also, we're taking creative license and making England have a hot spring. It may not be true, but we came up with the idea for the story, and we can do whatever we want with it.

**Chapter 3: Broken Heart**

_italics_- Charlotte

_italics_- thought

_"Seto?"_

He turned to face her. Her brown eyes shined in delight. The white hair tickled his cheeks. She lowered her head. Then, the two kissed. Seto pushed the snow back with his hand as hers toyed with the wood. Charlotte lifted her head back up. She appeared concerned.

"Charlotte, what is it?"

_"You need to wake up."_

"I am awake."

_"Wake up."_

Birds chirped at his window. Seto groaned as he pulled his left hand up to cover his eyes. He forced his body to a sitting position.

"How's Susan handling this?"

_Father?_

"Not so well. Charlotte was our only child. How's your son?"

"He was asleep when I last checked on him." Charles answered as their voices faded away.

"Charlotte?"

Seto tossed the covers aside. _When did I get dressed?_ He wondered. _Oh, well,_ he added while tossing the tunic off and replacing it with a clean one. He did the same with the breeches. His hands tugged the boots onto his feet.

He approached the door and peeked through the crack. His body slipped through. A growl reminded him that he hadn't eaten in a while. Seto walked down to the kitchen.

"Charles, lunch!"

The brunette walked in with a redhead. _Father…Wallace…_

"Seto, you're up. Come, have something to eat."

His body obeyed his mother's push. His father looked up as he chewed a bite of cheese. The hazel eyes stared at his son. Shock glowed on his face. Wallace stared as well. His mother turned to see what his father was staring at.

_What's wrong?_ He wondered as he sat down. His arm fired for a roll. Yet, his mother slapped the table. Seto pulled his arm back. His eyes stared wide-eyed at her, unable to understand. He hadn't eaten lunch or dinner the day before. Then, he'd missed breakfast that morning.

"For crying out loud, Mary, let the lad eat." Charles snapped.

"I am, but he knows better."

Wallace's voice jumped to his defense. "For Pete's sake, just let him eat!"

Mary fell silent. Seto swiped the roll and bit into it. Its sweet taste flooded his senses. Whatever he had the night before didn't compare to his mother's bread.

"Seto, I hope you realize that your fiancé isn't coming back."

The teen looked up at his father. Bread crumbs jumped off his lips. _Fiancé?_

_"Seto! Our parents agreed, Seto! We're going to get married!"_

His face darkened. Flashes of her body filled his mind. Tears of sadness and grief seeped out of his closed eyes. _Charlotte…_

"Seto…"

He pushed his mother away from him. The boy rose out of his seat.

"I'm going to do my chores now." His voice displayed his grief.

"Seto?"

The boy stopped.

"I believe…Charlotte would want you to have this."

Seto turned and directed his gaze to the object in Wallace's hand. All it took for him to register it was a glint.

"Her necklace," he whispered. "Thank you."

"You can come by later if you need some work to do."

Seto attempted to smile, but nothing came. Wallace looped the leather around the teen's neck. He stared at the blue jewel that always hung around Charlotte's neck. The metal held it in place. His fingers stroked it. He didn't notice Wallace's hand on his shoulder. A strange silence held onto his voice, muffling it to nothing.

_"Seto…"_

"Seto?"

The boy jumped. He pulled away from the adults and ran out the door. Tears flew from his face. He forgot about the animals in the coral and barn. All he really cared about was that the love of his life will never marry him. His feet stumbled up the hill, where he and Charlotte met the day before. Seto collapsed to his knees at the trunk, weeping nonstop. His fingers clawed at the bark.

_**Later…**_

Seto roamed the dirt streets of the village. After calming down, he absently fed the animals. Then, he walked around, trying to get his mind off of Charlotte's funeral (which he missed that morning). Everyone stared. Their eyes directed on him.

"Don't get near him," a woman whispered to her children.

"He's a curse upon him," another voice added.

Whispers floated into the minds of the people that knew him since he was born. He glanced around, struggling to keep track where one started and ended. They continued, pointing. _Why are they doing this? What is wrong? Why are they staring at me?_

"Eeek!"

Seto paused…as something brushed him. No…something plowed him down. Seto coughed as the dust rose from the road. He stayed down, unsure if another thing was going to tackle him.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" A high voice apologized.

Seto pushed himself up to a sitting position. His eyes fell onto a fourteen-year-old girl. Black locks were held hostage by a pink ribbon. Light tan hands cupped over her eyes. A light green dress draped off her light frame. The ruffles swung back and forth as she turned side to side. He jumped to his feet. His not so pale fingers gripped the girl's arms. After all, he worked in the inn, on the field, and at neighbor's houses. That was only when the men had to redo roofs, beds begging for repair, and other stuff.

"Katharine!"

"I'm sorry! I should really…"

"Why did you leave the sheep?"

Katharine pulled her hands down and looked up at him. They stared at each other for some time in silence.

"What happened to you?" He asked, being very blunt.

"Huh?"

"Your eyes…they're different. They're purple."

His sister fell silent. Seto tried to think of a way to cheer her up.

"They remind me of lilacs." He added, praying it would work.

Katharine pulled her lips into smile and chuckled. He gave her a half smile, something he does to replace "Thank goodness." It was in his nature. That's all he knew.

"I met this mysterious woman at the stones. She gave me some milk…"

"Katharine, you know Mother doesn't like us accepting from strangers."

"I know!" She wailed, her brother trying to quiet her down. "What about you?"

"What?"

"What about your eyes?"

"They're the same…" he paused as Katharine shook her head. "They…aren't…?"

"They're blue."

Seto declined. Katharine sighed as she grabbed the front of his tunic's collar. She pulled, surprising her brother of her strength. A dog tied to a rope, Seto was led by his little sister to the well. She forced him to look down. The water reflected the sunlight.

"Look."

"I am. I only see my reflection."

She sighed. "Then, look closer."

Seto leaned closer. His eyes widened. Sapphire orbs stared back at him. The dragon's face flashed in his mind.

"See?" Katharine pointed out. "They're as blue as the summer sky." Both of them looked up to see a bolt of lightning flash across the sky. The normally blue sky was covered by a thick layer of dark gray clouds.

"Look out!"

People scattered. A sudden throb pulsed in his sinuses.

"Get the sheep and return home!"

"It's going to rain?"

"Yes. I'll check out what's going on.'

Seto ran away from the well and his sister. He pushed the crowd out of his way. He scanned for the cause of the noise. The new blue eyes paused on a man lying on the ground. His horse, a stallion, bucked. Its mind overwhelmed his for a moment. The storm was spooking the horse. Seto jumped onto the back.

"Look," a voice pointed out. "Look at Seto."

_Tommy_, he growled. The crowd stopped and watched. Seto reached for the reins, keeping one hand gripping the saddle. His hand twirled the leather and took hold. His feet anchored themselves in the stirrups.

"Easy, easy," he whispered.

The stallion slowly calmed, placing its trust in Seto's hands. He whispered in its ear as he guided it to its master. The man possessed platinum blonde hair that grew to his shoulders. Seto jumped off the saddle. He approached the man, the horse bumping him with its muzzle. Seto strained to pick the man up onto the horse. His burden lightened.

"Wallace?"

Wallace positioned the man on the saddle.

"Get him to the Rose and Briar. Hurry!"

Seto leapt back on the saddle. He wrapped his left arm around the man's chest. A thunderclap echoed as rain spattered the ground. Seto faced the direction of his home. Wallace slapped the rump of the horse. The stallion lunged forward. Everyone scattered out of the way. Raindrops bombed his face. The man groaned.

"Hang on…" Seto growled. Then, it was followed by a click of the tongue.

The horse obeyed, turning left with directional help of the rider's foot. As he approached the barn, his father paused. Upon seeing the unconscious man, he aided his unload the horse. Charles carried the man inside, silent. Seto directed the stallion into the barn. It followed him into an empty stable. The hands undid the saddle and draped it over the rail. Next to it, Seto smoothed out the blanket. The stallion smacked its lips when he removed the bridle. His filled the trough and gave it some hay. Pleased with his work, Seto left the barn.

"How is he?"

"Our guest is still sleeping," his father answered.

Seto felt that his father was uneasy. He didn't know why, and never questioned him.

_**Near the cave…**_

A hot spring bubbled, pushing a round object up. A large air bubble launched it into the air. The silvery-white rock bounced, never cracking. It nestled among the rocks near the mouth of the cave. There, it waited.

Ash Kaiba: Hey, I think I just did a cliffhanger! Yes! And you can't find out anything about the rock or the unconscious man…or even why Charles is uneasy. You have to read Chapter 4. (snickers)


	4. The Milk and the Egg

**Rose Wars**

By Ash Kaiba and Katie Mae

**DISCLAIMER:** We do not own any of the Yu-Gi-Oh! characters or _Yu-Gi-Oh: Duelists of the Roses_ video game for PS 2. We do own the original characters: Katharine, Ashlyn, and any other character you don't recognize.

Katie Mae: Welcome to chapter 4! This chapter starts off where Chapter 2 ended, and follows through the end of chapter 3 to add on some new stuff. So, I hope you enjoy! Ash, any thoughts?

Ash Kaiba: I get to say something...Cool! Awesome! Enjoy! Don't forget to review.

**Chapter 4: The Milk and The Egg**

In the still water of the pond, Katharine saw a fey face: slanted violet eyes, an upturned nose, and a wide mouth shaped in a perfect "o". She looked away from the water and covered her face with her hands for a moment. Slowly, as she calmed down, curiosity got the better of her, and she looked again. This time, she realized she was seeing her own face, distorted by the angle of the water and the light. She recognized her own nose this time, and the mouth looked much more normal. But when she saw the eyes, she screamed again, turned away from the water and ran blindly down the hill, covering her eyes to hide their strangeness from anyone who might see her.

Unfortunately, covering her eyes meant she couldn't see obstacles ahead of her. As she reached the bottom of the hill, she plowed into something hard, sending her flying to the ground. Katharine coughed as the dust rose from the road.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Katharine said apologetically.

"Katharine!" Katharine thought she recognized the voice, but was too afraid to remove her hands to check, in case it was one of the townsfolk.

"I'm sorry!" she wailed. "I should really…"

"Why did you leave the sheep?" Katharine pulled her hands down and looked up to see Seto standing over her. They stared at each other for some time in silence. Then he asked bluntly, "What happened to you?"

"Huh?" Katharine played dumb, hoping he wasn't talking about her fey, unusual eyes.

"Your eyes…they're different. They're purple." Katharine didn't say a word; she didn't want to think about it. "They remind me of lilacs," he added.

This comment made Katharine smile and let out a small laugh. Her brother always knew how to make her feel better. In return, Seto gave her a half-grin. Katharine knew he didn't like to waste words, and that a simple expression could say so much more than mere words, which may not always be truthful.

In response to his question, Katharine said, "I met this mysterious woman at the stones. She gave me some milk…"

"Katharine, you know Mother doesn't like us accepting from strangers," Seto admonished her.

"I know!" She wailed loudly. Seto shushed her, trying to get her to quiet down. Suddenly, she noticed something about Seto that was different. "What about you?"

"What?" Seto asked.

"What about your eyes?"

"They're the same…" he paused as Katharine shook her head. "They…aren't…?"

"They're blue."

Seto shook his head in disbelief. Katharine sighed as she grabbed the front of his tunic. She pulled him by the shirt over to the well and forced him to look down. The water reflected the sunlight and the sky above them. "Look."

"I am. I only see my reflection."

She sighed. "Then look closer!"

Seto leaned closer. Katharine saw his eyes widen as he realized that she was right. "See?" she pointed out. "They're as blue as the summer sky." Both of them looked up to see a bolt of lightning streak across the sky, which was covered by angry gray clouds.

"Look out!" A voice suddenly called. Everyone in the square scattered.

Seto turned to Katharine and pushed her toward the hill. "Get the sheep and return home!"

"It's going to rain?" Katharine asked. That was the only reason why she was ever to bring the sheep home early.

"Yes. I'll check out what's going on.'

Seto ran away from the well and his sister. Rather than going for the sheep, Katharine followed him, watching as he made his way toward a man on the ground. Katharine covered her ears as a loud clap of thunder followed another bolt of lightning. A moment later, Seto jumped on the back of the man's horse, which was neighing loudly and bucking in fright. It had gone wild from the storm.

"Look," a voice pointed out. Katharine recognized it as Tommy's voice. "Look at Seto."

The crowd stopped and watched as Seto reached for the reins, keeping one hand on the saddle. His hand twirled around the long strip of leather and took hold. He slipped his feet into the stirrups, anchoring himself completely in the saddle.

Katharine saw Seto lean his face down to the horse's ear. The stallion slowly calmed, placing its trust in Seto's hands. Seto continued to whisper in its ear as he guided it to its fallen master, a man with shoulder-length platinum blonde hair. Seto jumped off the saddle and approached the man while the horse bumped him with its muzzle. Seto strained to pick the man up onto the horse, but Charlotte's father soon came over to help him.

"Wallace?" Katharine heard Seto ask.

Wallace placed the man on the saddle, positioning him so Seto could ride the horse without losing its burden. "Get him to the Rose and Briar. Hurry!"

Seto leapt back on the saddle and wrapped his left arm around the man's chest. A thunderclap echoed as rain began to fall from the sky, decorating the ground with dark spots. Seto turned the horse toward home, and Wallace slapped the horse's hindquarters. The stallion lunged forward; everyone moved out of the way to avoid being trampled.

Katharine watched her brother ride away, but soon remembered that the sheep were still on the hillside. She ran back to where she'd last seen them; thankfully, they were all together, even the wily lamb that had been trying to run away earlier. She led them all home and got them into the barn without trouble, giving them fresh water from the large container that was fed by a series of troughs and pipes that Seto had rigged up along the roof of the barn. The troughs caught rainwater and poured it through the pipes directly into the barrel, so that a supply was always available without having to leave the barn to go to the well. She also threw some fresh hay into the pen, since the sheep hadn't had a full day of grazing.

When Katharine returned to the house, she saw her mother preparing stew for dinner. "How is the man doing?" Katharine asked her.

"He seems to be all right. He's sleeping now," Mary replied. "I'm not sure why, but your father seems…uneasy about him. It's as if he knows something we don't."

Katharine shrugged her shoulders. She was sure that if anything was wrong, her father would tell them when the time was right.

_**The Next Morning…**_

"Seto, hurry up!" Katharine called. "Mother wants us back home soon to help look after our guest." The two teenagers walked down the road that led into the valley, though Seto was more reluctant than Katharine. Katharine stopped and turned toward him with a sigh. "What's your problem? Those berries won't pick themselves, you know."

"I…I don't feel comfortable here…" Seto replied.

Katharine looked around and saw nothing but an empty cave. Suddenly, she realized that they were near the spot where Seto had been found the other night. "Oh…well then, come on, let's go this way!" She turned away from the cave, but a sparkle of light caught her eye and drew her back toward the cave's mouth. She walked over, ignoring her brother's cries to stop.

"Wow…" she whispered as she examined the ground. There, littered across the rocks at the mouth of the cave, were bits and pieces of a silvery material that shined and sparkled in the early light. They were thin and jagged, and some of them seemed to fit together like they had once been part of some larger rock. "Seto, come look at this! Isn't it pretty?"

Seto cautiously approached, keeping a sharp lookout for any danger. He glanced down at the silvery shards and nodded absently. "Yeah, they're great."

Katharine gathered up some of the largest ones and placed them in her basket, gently tucking each one into the folds of her handkerchief.

While she was busy, Seto walked a bit closer to the cave's mouth, his eyes drawn to a particularly smooth rock. Like the shards on the ground, it shone silver and sparkled merrily in the dawn sunbeams. He picked it up carefully, as if it were something expensive. It felt fragile and precious in his hands.

"What do you have there?" Katharine asked from behind him. Seto turned around suddenly, moving the rock behind his back as he did so to keep it hidden from her view.

"It's nothing, don't worry."

"If you have to hide it, it's not 'nothing'!" Katharine tried reaching around him to get it, but he held it out of her reach. "Let me see!"

"No!" Seto replied. Katharine managed to get one hand on it, and tried to pull it away. "Let go of it!"

Katharine pulled harder, finally managing to yank the rock out of Seto's hand. It was roughly six or seven inches in diameter, and seemed to be made of the same kind of silvery-white material as the shards in her basket. It was cool and smooth, and felt frictionless in her hands. "Amazing… All right, here you go."

As she handed it back to Seto, it slipped from her fingers, falling to the ground. Seto tried to catch it, but didn't reach it in time; it hit the ground with a loud _crack!_ Katharine gasped and winced, closing her eyes. "I'm sorry, Seto…"

Seto didn't reply, so Katharine opened her eyes to see him kneeling on the ground and picking up the unscathed rock. Beneath it, the rock it had landed on was broken cleanly in two, despite the fact that it was much thicker and heavier than the rock in Seto's hand. Seto's eyes rose to meet Katharine's. "What just happened?"

"That little rock just broke the bigger rock…" Katharine said softly.

Seto stood and placed the rock in Katharine's basket. "I want to hang on to this…just in case."

Katharine looked at her brother strangely, but didn't say a word as they left the cave and walked toward the wild berry bushes.

Katie Mae: All right, that wraps up chapter 4! Stay tuned for chapter 5!


	5. Charlotte

**Rose Wars**

By Ash Kaiba and Katie Mae

**DISCLAIMER:** We do not own any of the Yu-Gi-Oh! characters or _Yu-Gi-Oh: Duelists of the Roses_ video game for PS 2. We do own the original characters: Katharine, Ashlyn, and any other character you don't recognize.

Ash Kaiba: Hey! No more Summer School. Now, I can work on this! Welcome to chapter 5, the fifth installment of Rose Wars…. I forgot what I was going to say next. KATIE MAE, YOU'RE RUBBING YOUR BLONDENESS ONTO ME!

**Chapter 5: Charlotte**

"Seto, hurry up!"

_Man, she has a sharp tongue._ Seto moaned as they walked towards the valley. Katharine skipped ahead, as if she was excited to be away from Tommy and with her brother. Seto, on the other hand, wanted no business here.

"Mother wants us back home soon to help look after our guest." She reminded him.

Mother…The only reason why he was a zombie in this place. Seto kept silent, praying his sister would skip ahead of him and do whatever Mother wanted them to do. That was when he jinxed himself.

"What's your problem? Those berries won't pick themselves, you know." She asked, after turning around with a sigh.

"I…I don't feel comfortable here…" He answered.

He watched her look around, trying to pin point the cause. His sapphire eyes caught it automatically. Then, she saw it: The empty cave, which stirred up a sense to leave his real parents and return to the dragon…as her own.

"Oh…well then, come on, let's go this way!" Katharine pointed away from the cave. But, as she tried to walk away, Seto noticed that something caught her eye. His sister started to hike up to the mouth of cave, looking at the ground.

"Katharine! Get away from there! Stop! Katharine!" He yelled up to her, praying she would stop and turn back.

"Seto, come look at this! Isn't it pretty?"

The boy approached her, cautious of the area around them. The blue irises kept a constant check. Any small movement would send him and Katharine back home. Upon arriving, he looked down at what his sister found. Small, silvery-white shards littered the hillside. "Yeah, they're great," he answered, bored.

His sister continued to collect the large pieces. Seto thought he'd pay a visit. Then, his eyes were snared by a rock that shone the same color as the shards. He picked it up, cradling it gently in his hands. It felt smoother than glass. Yet, it remained solid._ What is this? I could sell it for money._ A vibration within the rock pulsed through him._ What? What was that?_

"What do you have there?" He heard behind him. Seto jumped, hiding the rock behind his back.

"It's nothing, don't worry."

His sister glared at him. "If you have to hide it, it's not 'nothing'!" She yelled, diving at his waist. Her hands flew around his back, trying to get a hold. Seto kept it well out of her reach. "Let me see!"

"No!" He yelled, trying hard not to raise his voice at her. He felt a hand on the rock. ""Let go of it!"

He added, attempting to keep it out of her hands. But, she managed to get both hands on it. With a strong tug, it was in her grasp. He watched her eye it with curiosity.

"Amazing… All right, here you go." She replied as she handed it back to him. Then, it rolled. Seto leapt out to catch it, but was too late. The rock crashed into the ground. A loud thud echoed in his ears and Katharine's. He glanced at her closed eyes; then shifted his gaze back to the rock. "I'm sorry, Seto…"

Seto remained silent. He knelt down to the rock. His fingers struggled to get a grip on the smooth surface. His arms lifted it back up, off the rock underneath. A gasp escaped his lips. Katharine directed her attention to the rock. Seto lifted his eyes to her. "What just happened?" He asked, unable to comprehend how a smaller rock broke a big, thick rock in half…cleanly.

"That little rock just broke the bigger rock…" She answered, her voice in a whisper.

Seto rose back to his feet. He gently placed the rock into Katharine's basket. "I want to hang on to this…just in case." He replied as she stared at him. Then, she led him away.

_**That afternoon…**_

"Hi!"

"Welcome home," their mother greeted. Their father sat at the table. Seto didn't like the expression on his face, but didn't question.

"What took you two so long?" He snapped.

Seto didn't answer. He didn't want to think about it.

"I was looking at this pretty shards near the cave." Katharine answered.

"Did you bring any?"

"Yes, Papa." She answered, pulling her handkerchief out and handing it to their father.

Charles opened the fabric. His tanned fingers picked up a shard. The hazel eyes analyzed it. He knew what it was. "Did you bring any whole pieces?"

"No, Papa," his sister answered, covering him.

"Then, go upstairs. Get ready for dinner."

"Yes, sir." Seto replied.

"Seto…"

The boy turned and faced his father. "Yes?"

"It's good to hear you speak." Charles smiled.

Seto returned it and followed his sister's footsteps. He knocked on the door, telling his sister he was coming in. Katharine yelled at him 'clear.' He stepped in and closed the door. A wrapped bungle sat on his bed. Seto unwrapped it and stared at the rock. He covered it back up and hid it in his dresser. His hands grabbed clean clothes. "Katharine, thanks for covering me back there."

"Your welcome. Seto, what are you going to do with it?"

"I plan on selling it."

Seto straightened his tunic and breeches. He tidied up his hair and stepped over their water bowl. He splashed his face and wiped his hands. Seto dried his face and hands with his rag. Then, he sidestepped for Katharine to do the same. Once she was finished, they walked down the stairs. His blood froze…as an unknown voice echoed.

"Charles, my boy!" The voice called. The sound grated Seto's eardrums. The boy gripped his head, covering his ears with his palms.

"Seto!"

"Not so loud!" The boy wailed, struggling in his sister's arms. The world suddenly sounded louder than before. He could see details that he missed before. A strong grip had him.

"Easy, boy. Easy."

Seto stared up at a man with shoulder length platinum blonde hair. He could clearly see the mahogany irises. The man had a calming aura around him. Seto relaxed and immediately lowered his eyes upon seeing the collar. It was a light red (but not pink) trimmed with gold thread. _He has to a lord. Maybe even a duke. He has to be rich._ "Thank you, sir. Is there anything I can do?"

The man shook his head as he helped Seto up to his feet. Charles immediately shoved the man away from his son. "Come on."

"Father…"

"What happened?"

"I'm sorry, sir. Everything just sounded **louder** than normal. Just now, it sounded like you were yelling. I mean no offense, Father. Don't know how it happened."

"All right," his father whispered, echoing to Seto as normal speech volume. "Go join the others for dinner."

"Yes, Father."

They went to the table and sat down. Seto remained by Katharine. Charles was in between his wife and guest. The man gabbed on with Mary listening. The children stayed silent. Seto prayed the man would just shut his yap.

"Anyway, I didn't mean to. But, Charles, it is so good to see you again! I haven't seen you since what…seventeen years ago." The man exclaimed. Charles Rosenkreuz said nothing. "So, how are you? What have you been doing since you left the army?"

"Charles," Mary asked in confusion.

Seto held his tongue.

"I want you out, Crawford…tomorrow morning." He snapped.

"Now, now, Charles, don't be so pushing." The man 'Crawford' cooed.

"I was captured because of you," Charles growled. Mary gasped with Katharine. Seto started to choke on a piece of pork. Charles jumped to his son. "Seto…"

Seto coughed up the piece of meat and tried to smile reassuringly to his father. Charles didn't buy it and sent him up stairs to rest. He complied. Echoes of their conversation reached up to him. He opened the door. Closing the door, Seto lied down on his covers. The newly found irises stared up at the ceiling. _Father is overreacting. I'm fine…and hungry. He just wants to hide something from me. Why? Who is that man anyway? Maybe I can come up something to do with that rock._ He thought as he stood back up and headed to the dresser. He pulled and snagged the wrapped bungle. Seto approached his bed as he wrapped the rock completely. The boy analyzed every smooth detail, fingering the edges.

_**Mama…**_

_What? Who said that?_ He wondered. Seto started feeling drowsy.

**_Mama… Mama…_**

The rock started to crack near the top. The weary feeling grew more inside him. Seto fought hard to keep his eyes open. His vision dimmed. Seto heard a small squeal. The last thing he saw was a small reptile. He blacked out.

_**Mama…Mama…Mama!**_

Ash Kaiba: Holy cow! That took me awhile to write. If you have any possible ideas, please tell us. Maybe we'll use them…maybe not. You never know. Thanks for reading…from both of us.


	6. What Is It

**Rose Wars**

By Ash Kaiba and Katie Mae

**DISCLAIMER:** We do not own any of the Yu-Gi-Oh! characters or _Yu-Gi-Oh: Duelists of the Roses_ video game for PS 2. We do own the original characters: Katharine, Ashlyn, and any other character you don't recognize.

Katie Mae: Hey! This chapter should be pretty exciting, since we finally get to see the dragon!

**Chapter 6: What Is It?**

"I was captured because of you," Charles growled. Katharine gasped in surprise, and then noticed that Seto was coughing forcefully, his eyes wide as he pounded his fist against his chest. Charles jumped out of his seat and approached her brother. "Seto…"

Seto coughed up a piece of meat and took a deep breath before trying to smile reassuringly to his father. Charles didn't buy it and sent him upstairs to rest. He complied, but Katharine noticed a look of irritation on his face; she assumed he was annoyed that she didn't have to go to bed as well.

Mary glanced over at Katharine with a knowing look in her eyes as she started to clear the table. Katharine took that as her cue to leave the men alone and help her mother in the kitchen. After they were done with the dishes, Katharine went up the stairs to her and Seto's room. She knocked on the door and asked, "All clear?"

When she didn't get a response, Katharine opened the door and slowly tiptoed inside, not wanting to disturb her brother in case he was asleep. However, the sight that greeted her eyes was not that of Seto's sleeping form: she gasped and recoiled as she saw a small, white, leathery-winged, lizard-like creature hunched over her brother's pale face. But the sight of his rigid body and wide, lifeless eyes terrified her even more than the creature.

Caught between her fear for her brother and of the thing between them, Katharine wavered with indecision for a moment. Then she started to slowly step back toward the door, freezing as she heard the warped spot in the floorboards creak when she placed her weight upon it. The creature turned its head toward her at the noise, its long neck reminding her of a serpent. It hissed loudly and bared its small fangs at her, causing her to yelp in fear and make a hasty retreat. Slamming the door shut behind her, she leaned against it, taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart.

After a long moment, Katharine thought she heard a gentle crooning from inside the room, followed by silence. She took the opportunity to inch the door open and peek inside, seeing that the tiny monster had curled up in Seto's lap and was sleeping peacefully—_At least, I hope that's what it's doing,_ Katharine thought to herself worriedly. She managed to avoid the offending spot on the floor this time, and made it over to her bed as quietly as she could. She slipped under the covers without changing, but she didn't dare close her eyes, lest the monster decide she looked delicious.

Almost as if it had read her mind, the white creature lazily opened one eye and swiped it across her prone form, a deep growl beginning in its throat; however, it stopped suddenly and looked up at Seto's face for a moment before making a sound that could only be described as _purring_, and returning to its previous position. Katharine let out a silent sigh of relief and thanked God that the monster had decided not to eat her—yet.

The sound of rain on the thatched roof awoke Katharine earlier than usual. Bags under her eyes were distinctly more pronounced as she looked over at Seto's bed for what seemed the hundredth time. Seto had long since gone from his rigid unconsciousness to sleep, but the monster from the night before hadn't left his side all night. Katharine's sleep had been fitful, and her paranoia concerning the creature showed in every movement, carefully planned so as to be as quiet as possible. It took her twice as long to get ready, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing; her parents would have been worried had she been ready any earlier, and might have gone up to check on Seto, as well. _I don't know why, but I don't think that seeing that…thing…is really something that they should do,_ Katharine thought to herself. Her face was twisted into a small frown as she replayed the night before over her breakfast of eggs and fried pork.

"Katharine?" Mary called quietly across the table, snapping Katharine out of her reverie. "Is everything all right, dear?"

Katharine looked up into her mother's concerned face. "Yes, Mama," she replied, trying to sound calm and confident with her answer. Mentally she added, w_e just have some sort of monster upstairs and it seems to have a hold on my brother!_

"All right, then. I'll take care of cleaning up; you go and check on the sheep." Katharine nodded and walked over to the back door, slipping on her mud boots and oilskin to protect her from the rain. She stepped carefully once again, smiling wryly at the irony as her boots squelched through the mud: not only could she not walk freely in her own room, but the outdoors—her other safe haven—was also dangerous due to the persistent rain.

Katharine quickly checked the sheep, giving them fresh hay and more water from the rain barrel. As she dipped the water bucket into the barrel the first time, the water overflowed, some of it reaching the inside of her boots. She squished across the room toward the large sheep pen, muttering under her breath the entire way. By the time she was done, her toes felt frozen from the cold rainwater.

_Am I doomed to spend the rest of my life in fear?_ Katharine silently asked as she walked back toward the house. She received no literal answer, but promptly lost her footing and slipped, falling headfirst into a particularly deep mud puddle. _Forget I asked…_

Ash Kaiba: I'll do this for Katie Mae. Please review and stay tuned for Chapter 7!


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